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Fall 1, 515 AV - Crooked Playhouse
The previous day Sayana had visited the Sanity Center in hopes of finding a job in this chaotic city of illusions. If she was to be staying in this city it would be helpful to start earning Mizas again, especially with not one but two children to be looking after. After listing her skills, they suggested that she visit the Crooked Playhouse and even mentioned that every day there was a free show at the tenth bell in tribute to Ionu.
She was late in arriving. Very late. It seemed like each day offered new challenges to get around the city. Yet, she managed to reach the tunnel-like entrance and slip in for the tail end of the performance. As the Eypharian slipped amongst the onlookers of the show, she was overwhelmed with the vibrant illusions on the stage. There was a rainbow of colours, bright costumes and at least a dozen performers leaping about the stage doing acrobatics. The primary illusion was an enormous loom in which a tapestry was being woven. Acrobats leapt and swung upon the threads, weaving it together. The finished part of it resembled a giant eye. Much of the imagery and meaning was lost to her, but viewers who had seen the whole production might associate the eye with the god of the city and the tapestry as the tale that had been woven.
The final bow was taken and Sayana applauded heartily along with all the others. Yet it was only when the theatre was beginning to clear out did she realize that she had been here before. The oddly angled walls looked familiar along with the pristine stage. This was where she had first visited the Underground having lost her Lakan to a thief. Her low left hand strayed to the daggers at her hip. She almost always carried around two throwing daggers, the Lakan and her ornate cobra hilted dagger from Ahnatep. They were comfortably sheathed in her belt while her red skirt and top sparkled with glassy beads woven into them. She also wore her dance shoes, though it had made her journey here more challenging.
At last, it seemed like the theatre was mostly clear and Sayana made her way towards the stage. Upon spotting a performer clearing away some stage props, she spoke up. “Excuse me, I’d like to speak with the one who runs this place. I’d like to offer my services as a dancer for the troop.” She spoke clearly and directly but wasn’t at all ready for what came next.
“Yes?” Spoke a voice that sounded strangely familiar. Sayana turned around and saw a splitting image of herself seated on a chair with her arms folded elegantly. Sayana blinked several times and her doppelganger casually twirled a strand of her hair. Even the clothes and daggers seemed to match and it was rather disconcerting. Yet when the image stood up, there was a stiffness to its arms and they didn’t move smoothly and gracefully as Sayana would move her own. Sayana had faced some of the oddities of Alvadas and with a deep breath she decided she would casually accept this new one.
“Yes, I would like to demonstrate my skills as proof that I would be worthy of the position,” Sayana continued in a professional manner, ignoring the fact that she was seemingly speaking to a person identical in appearance to herself. Her doppelganger gave a nod and gestured to a small set of stairs that would lead her onto the stage.
Sayana glanced over for a moment and as soon as she looked back at her ‘image’, it had transformed into a much more normal looking man. “Even I don’t think I could have mimicked the expression on your face when you saw me at first.” He said with a chuckle. “But go on, show me what you’ve got.”
The previous day Sayana had visited the Sanity Center in hopes of finding a job in this chaotic city of illusions. If she was to be staying in this city it would be helpful to start earning Mizas again, especially with not one but two children to be looking after. After listing her skills, they suggested that she visit the Crooked Playhouse and even mentioned that every day there was a free show at the tenth bell in tribute to Ionu.
She was late in arriving. Very late. It seemed like each day offered new challenges to get around the city. Yet, she managed to reach the tunnel-like entrance and slip in for the tail end of the performance. As the Eypharian slipped amongst the onlookers of the show, she was overwhelmed with the vibrant illusions on the stage. There was a rainbow of colours, bright costumes and at least a dozen performers leaping about the stage doing acrobatics. The primary illusion was an enormous loom in which a tapestry was being woven. Acrobats leapt and swung upon the threads, weaving it together. The finished part of it resembled a giant eye. Much of the imagery and meaning was lost to her, but viewers who had seen the whole production might associate the eye with the god of the city and the tapestry as the tale that had been woven.
The final bow was taken and Sayana applauded heartily along with all the others. Yet it was only when the theatre was beginning to clear out did she realize that she had been here before. The oddly angled walls looked familiar along with the pristine stage. This was where she had first visited the Underground having lost her Lakan to a thief. Her low left hand strayed to the daggers at her hip. She almost always carried around two throwing daggers, the Lakan and her ornate cobra hilted dagger from Ahnatep. They were comfortably sheathed in her belt while her red skirt and top sparkled with glassy beads woven into them. She also wore her dance shoes, though it had made her journey here more challenging.
At last, it seemed like the theatre was mostly clear and Sayana made her way towards the stage. Upon spotting a performer clearing away some stage props, she spoke up. “Excuse me, I’d like to speak with the one who runs this place. I’d like to offer my services as a dancer for the troop.” She spoke clearly and directly but wasn’t at all ready for what came next.
“Yes?” Spoke a voice that sounded strangely familiar. Sayana turned around and saw a splitting image of herself seated on a chair with her arms folded elegantly. Sayana blinked several times and her doppelganger casually twirled a strand of her hair. Even the clothes and daggers seemed to match and it was rather disconcerting. Yet when the image stood up, there was a stiffness to its arms and they didn’t move smoothly and gracefully as Sayana would move her own. Sayana had faced some of the oddities of Alvadas and with a deep breath she decided she would casually accept this new one.
“Yes, I would like to demonstrate my skills as proof that I would be worthy of the position,” Sayana continued in a professional manner, ignoring the fact that she was seemingly speaking to a person identical in appearance to herself. Her doppelganger gave a nod and gestured to a small set of stairs that would lead her onto the stage.
Sayana glanced over for a moment and as soon as she looked back at her ‘image’, it had transformed into a much more normal looking man. “Even I don’t think I could have mimicked the expression on your face when you saw me at first.” He said with a chuckle. “But go on, show me what you’ve got.”